How did the works of Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo come to be regarded as so important in the history of art? Why, even within the artists’ lifetimes, was their art regarded as signaling the “rebirth” of painting and sculpture and Michelangelo called “the divine”? In this course we will examine the principal Renaissance monuments (Giotto’s Arena Chapel, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Michelangelo’s David and Sistine Chapel Ceiling) and their reception, including the recent “Da Vinci Code Effect” that has rekindled an interest in Leonardo da Vinci. The Italian Renaissance will also offer a useful perspective for considering topics of current cultural relevance like the value of the visual arts in society, public support for the arts, and visual literacy.

Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.